Human Resource Management

What is Human Resource Management? Overview, Functions, Career Options

Human Resource Management, popularly known as HRM, is an organisational function that deals with people residing in that organisation. It consists of strategies and approaches to managing culture and workplace ethics to create a better employee environment. In addition, it successfully allows employees to provide input towards practical actions and reap more significant benefits.

Members in the department focus on the knowledge, mandatory requirements, coaching, and talent management to have suitable employees in the organisation. It is, however, not limited to only communication and recruitment but supports a range of activities such as performance management, safety, employee motivation and policy administration.

What are the functions of HRM?

The functions in human resource management can be divided into three dimensions.

Managerial Functions

The following functions fall under the segment of managerial functioning.

  • Human Resource Planning: The plan comprises deciding on the number and employee divisions to lead to the fulfilment of the determined motives of the organisation. This requires extensive research, information, and analysis to identify and understand future human resource necessities.
  • Organising: This function mentions tasks, analyses relationships, and understands common goals. Collective contribution can only succeed with the human resource management team’s proper organising skills.
  • Directing: Direction and motivation help motivate employees from all sections to understand their potential.
  • Controlling: This function mainly deals with the verification and comparisons after the performance of the prescribed roles.

Operative Functions

These dimensions are as follows:

  • Recruitment and Selection: These functions help find the ideal candidates suitable for the organisation.
  • Job Analysis: Describing a job’s nature, such as the demanded skills and programs desired to achieve goals.
  • Appraisal of Performance: An unnoticed yet pivotal function, it helps track employee performance acceptance rates.
  • Development and Training: These are training sessions provided by the HRM team to upskill employees, applicable for both newcomers and existing employees.
  • Wage and Salary Divisions: The payment according to the divisions is also managed by the HRM. The compensations include salaries, fringe benefits and bonuses.
  • The welfare of Employees: The benefits and services desired by employees are also looked up to by HRM.
  • Labour Relations: Interaction with trade unions is vital as differences of opinion can discover several problems within a company.
  • Personnel Research and Record: Personnel research primarily deals with salaries or leadership distinctions. The personnel record involves recording and maintaining documents such as application forms and employment details.

Advisory Functions

An HRM team is allowed to address the following divisions:

  • Top Management Advisory: The HRM group can advise the top management to formulate programs, policies and procedures.
  • Departmental Heads Advisory: Job design, workforce, planning, and performance appraisal are specific categories where the Departmental heads require HRM opinions.

How is HRM evolving in India?

With a demographic uniqueness in a country like India, everybody has an idea of what is HR management. Certain hypotheses suggest that regardless of having the same growth in population by 2030, India will have a larger workforce than China, meaning India will require far more jobs than today. A dominant perspective is the understanding of globalisation in specific domains such as technological advancements, business management, and its behaviours. The 1990s brought in the notions of a corporate sector and the emergence of HRM practices in the Indian subcontinent.

Hence, the competitive sector proves how a competitive service sector brought in a demographic shift in the educational forum, demanding more jobs and more HRM practices. Currently, a 5% rise has been demarcated in October, according to TimesJobs RecruitX. As a result, it is regarded as one of the top three professions in India, proving its successful evolution in the country.

What are the eligibility criteria and required skills for HRM in India?

HRM is taught in India across several institutions at a postgraduate level. One must complete an undergraduate degree to pursue the HRM degree, i.e. 10+3+2 pattern with a 50% above aggregate. For SCs/STs/ OBCs, 45% aggregate and above is the basis for applying to universities. An entrance examination is conducted to scrutinise the aptitude and suitability of candidates.

Management skills and attributes:

  • An interactive, friendly and outgoing personality deems fit as the profession deals with handling people from several segments.
  • Team management is a necessary factor as the person has to act as a source of inspiration.
  • Event planning is vital because an HR professional also looks up to coordination between people from other organisations.
  • Understand and organise benefit programs for all employees.
  • Act as a consulting figure when it comes to discussions with various management employees. For instance, an HR professional’s viewpoints are essential when it comes to a case of sexual harassment in the workplace.
  • Managing staff problems, such as mediating issues between two employees.
  • Have interviewing and recruitment skills as the present and future of the company depend on the HRM teams.

Career Options After Studying HRM in India:

If you consider HRM as a study option, here is the list of career options you can consider.

  • Human Resources Assistant: The central role of a human resources assistant is to support the decisions of HR managers and several executives with administrative duties. They also have to perform functions such as writing, recruitment, scheduling interviews and signing contracts.
  • Recruitment Coordinator: A recruitment coordinator mainly focuses on searching for qualified candidates for suitable positions in the organisations. Applications, databases, and site jobs are a few dimensions to finding candidates.
  • HR Coordinator: Administrative duties are checked by an HR coordinator. Employee records and resumes are adequately scanned to understand suitability by an HR coordinator. They need to stay updated with the trends and requirements of the company to suit their demands.
  • Human Resources Generalist: The HR generalist handles internal and external resources. Staff training, employee relations and recruitment processes are areas that a generalist looks up. They also monitor budgets and payrolls ideal for every segment of employees.
  • Employee Relations Manager: Their leading role is to handle issues between employees and the organisation to maintain a harmonious work environment. Counselling and investigation of situations, such as solving workplace conflicts, are something an employee relations manager handles.
  • HR manager: One of the most popular professions, HR managers recruit people ideal for the company. Screening of candidates, shortlisting, interviewing, and training arrangements are all performed under an HR manager.
  • Labour Relations specialist: The role mainly involves negotiations and bargains with the union on behalf of the organisation. Preparation of labour proposals and implementation of labour programs are also a part of the profession.
  • Director of Human Resources: Director of HR is mainly responsible for checking the entire organisation’s performance. They go through budgets and plans to meet the required business goals and understand compliance with the help of legal procedures.
  • Recruiter: As the name suggests, the ideal candidates for a company come up due to a recruiter’s efforts. They mainly conduct the interviews and screening of candidates.